Our big Mega-Precompression event is coming up this Saturday in San Francisco, and we can’t wait to see all your smiling faces in person!! We put this first because YOU SHOULD REALLY COME! (Get the details below.)

So anyway, how’s everybody doing out there? Good? Yeah? Good. You ready for a meaty JRS? Well, you came to the right place, cuz boy howdy is this one jam-packed with really good stuff. In fact, Actiongrl and I looked at each other when contemplating our content for this go-round and we went: “Whoa.” It was like that.

I mean, did you SEE the Table of Contents up there? Seriously, solid stuff. How to get in on the Burning Man Resources Listing for 2010, how to get us to help YOU fund your Burning Man project, how to submit your playa event for the Playa Events Directory, how to submit a video for the Video Acculturation Series we just kicked off, and a full listing of ALL the Regional Events going on around the world this summer.

Oh, and a dude trying to break the world record for people dressed as Superman. Hell, the current record’s only 122 people (Seriously? That’s weak). Should be a piece of cake to *crush* that record on playa.

You want more? No you don’t. The Man burns in 78 days. You got work to do, people! Snap to it!

In our efforts to help our community help itself, and to support the cottage industry that’s grown up around our little shindig in the desert, we’re once again publishing our Burning Man Resource Listing this year. So, if you’re a Burner-owned or Burner-oriented business, and would like to offer your wares to the Burners everywhere, fill out this form by Friday June 25, 2010:

We will create a webpage of all submissions (that don’t violate copyright, trademark or other laws) and publicize it to our community starting on June 28, 2010. Late submissions will not be considered for publication … no exceptions. We reserve the right NOT to publish anything we deem inappropriate.

And remember … Burning Man is NOT anti-commerce. We’re against commodification, which is quite a different thing. We recognize that commerce makes the world go around, and we believe in the creativity and drive of small business owners. Those are the folks we seek to support here, in the face of mass market consumerism. Keepin’ it in the family. So, participating businesses … thank you for serving and supporting our community!

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WE WANT TO HELP YOU FUND YOUR BURNING MAN PROJECT! HERE’S HOW.

We want to help YOU get your Burning Man project funded, and we also want to make sure everybody’s getting a fair shot at the potential donor dollars out there. So here’s the plan …

Just create a fundraising project on Kickstarter.com (a web-based fundraising platform for creative projects that shares the basic values of the Burning Man Project). Once you have your Kickstarter page up, send an email with the Widget Embed Code for your project (click “GRAB THE WIDGET” on your page) to fundraiser (at) burningman (dot) com. We’ll be creating a Burningman.com webpage that will aggregate all of the Burning Man Kickstarter projects we know about.

Your project must conform to the Kickstarter guidelines (which happen to mirror ours), found here:

To be included in our fundraising efforts for the 2010 Burning Man event, you should indicate to the Kickstarter folks that yours is a Burning Man project, and you must email us your project’s Kickstarter URL by August 1, 2010. Click here to get started:

1. Kickstarter provides a quality, media-rich format for your fundraising effort. 2. They handle all the payment stuff. 3. Your donors ONLY pay if you reach your funding goal; thus avoiding funding a project that doesn’t have enough money to be completed. 4. You can offer shwag for different funding levels. 5. They only do fundraising for projects, which is what we want to facilitate, too. 6. Their commission is just 5% of your funding, only IF you reach your goal. 7. It’s a great, standardized way for Burning Man to aggregate all the fundraising efforts out there. 8. Successful projects usually end up receiving 120% of their funding goals. 9. Lots of Burning Man projects are already using it. 10. It’s just good sauce.

OK, so you’ve got your event (happening, festivity, whatever) plannned for Burning Man. You’re gonna really rock it out this year. You’ve bought up all the cling wrap you could lay your hands on within three states, you found mayo available by the 50-gallon drum, and you got the marching band booked. Great.

Now make sure people know about it.

Whether you’re showing a movie at your drive-in theater, holding a life-size whack-a-mole tournament, or doing … um … whatever it is that involved all that cling wrap, mayo and the marching band … it’s time to add your playa event to the official Playa Events Listing!

Now part of the overall Playa Info Directory, the Playa Events Listing is an online calendar of all the stuff y’all come up with and decide to actually do this year, from the mundane to the profane. The Directory will be available to all on the Burning Man website, as well as at Playa Info on (you guessed it) playa.

The event submmission form will be live early next week (we’re shooting for Tuesday), and will be available through the event. When it’s ready (not yet!), you’ll be able to find it here:

Submissions received before July 1st (or the first 960, whichever comes first) will also be included in the What Where When (affectionately known around BMHQ as the Whawhawha) — the gorgeous, printed playa events “guide” (we use that term loosely, based on how people tend to really use it) that’s handed out at the Greeters’ Station. So if you want in the Whawhawha, it’s time to cut bait and figure out what you’re doing, when. We totally feel ya calling that slacker campmate of yours right about now.

Oh, and your entries are limited to 140 characters, so don’t be thinking you’re gonna go and write “War and Peace” or anything, because you’ll be sadly disappointed.

Finally, you? Are the best. Thanks for playing. And we mean that.

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LATEST POSTS IN THE METROPOL BLOG SERIES

Metropol is our ongoing blog series, exploring the dynamics of urban planning and design, and their impact on culture and community, as seen through the lens of the unique Petri dish that is Black Rock City. We invite you to read through posts from a variety of authors, and join the conversation!

Theme Camps – Why and How!, by Affinity Minglehttp://bit.ly/d8XCg1 Whether it’s a dance camp or Kidsville, Theme Camps are arguably the cultural lifeblood of Black Rock City. What is a Theme Camp? How are they organized and managed? Affinity goes to the source — the camp organizers — to find out.

Running In Great Cities, by Reverend Billy Talenhttp://bit.ly/cYdALA Urban public space is spotted with the reverse gravity of pernicious emotional traps, affecting the basic psychological rhythm of our great capitals. Anti-consumerist preacher Reverend Billy Talen jogs through Amsterdam … and cannot make it through unscathed.

Fire in the Heart of Black Rock City, by Lily Raselhttp://bit.ly/bVo9oD Black Rock City presents an opportunity to make the fire arts an integral part of a civic community, and the result is a culture that coalesces around the warmth of the flames, as our ancient ancestors did around the campfire.

Lamplighters: Ritualizing Functional Necessity, by Steve Mobiahttp://bit.ly/9JlNQZ One of Black Rock City’s traits is how its civic services are transformed into ritual through the application of creative expression. The Lamplighters’ service to the community – preparing and hanging the kerosene lamps that illuminate Black Rock City each night – was steeped in ritual since its inception.

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REMEMBRANCE PLAQUE FOR NAMES OF BURNERS LOST – BY JULY 20

Since 1996, an anonymous Burner has created a plaque to commemorate members of our community who have passed away in the previous year. This tradition continues to honor those people who have impacted our Burning experiences and participated in making Burning Man happen. This is a call out to you, our community, to please let us know of any burners lost in the last year, who you feel should be added to this year’s Remembrance Plaque. Please send only their name, exactly as you would like to see it appear, to this address:

Submissions need to be received by July 20th to be included on this year’s plaque. Submissions after the 20th will be added to next year’s plaque.

Note: the plaque is not displayed in the Temple, where more elaborate and personal memorials are created by participants. Look for the completed plaque at the base of the Man from Monday (August 30th) through Friday (September 3rd).

May their spirits move on to the eternal playa!

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THEATER IN A CROWDED FIRE: RITUAL & SPIRITUALITY AT BURNING MAN

Our good friend Lee Gilmore has published her latest book about ritual and spirituality at Burning Man. Our finest critics have read it, and deem it very well-researched, highly accurate, and a great read (Larry says so himself).

Copies can be purchased directly from the publisher (University of California Press) at a 20% discount using this code: 10M9071

Burning Man is looking for videos that acculturate or educate the larger world about the 10 Principles of Burning Man and/or that teach Survival Guide basics, Burning Man history, and/or other important aspects Burning Man culture.

So dust off those cameras and old-school Burning Man footage, or grab your friends and let the tape roll! Just create and send in your short films and video, being careful to adhere to the requirements listed on the Burning Man Video Acculturation Series Webpage. The contest will accept rolling submissions, and the first deadline is August 1, 2010.

Consider yourself invited to participate!

Possible Film Topics Include:

+ Acculturation: What do you wish you had known before you got to BRC? + 10 Principles: Illustrate or teach others about one or any of our principles! + History: Got a classic piece of video that illustrates a special piece of art, theme camp, or performance and why it matters to you? + “We Are Everywhere”: Burning Man happens every day, all over the world. How can you explain what Burning Man is beyond the week in the desert?

Visit the Burning Man Video Acculturation Series Webpage for more INFO and the requirements:

“In 2010, Entheon Village will focus on ideas concerning the development and maintenance of sustainable communities of different sizes and scopes. The program will include educational talks and interactive discussions, including break-out sessions for audience members to brainstorm in smaller groups. Our goal this year is to create a more lasting and interactive experience from which all participants can take home and immediately impliment new knowledge and skills in their own communities.

If you would like to participate as a presenter, discussion facilitator, or in some other capacity, please send an email to seminars (at) entheonvillage (dot) com. Include as much information as possible about your experience, area of expertise, the topic that you would like to address and the arguments that you would present. You may also recommend others who would be interested in participating (please include contact information).

Topics and themes will include: Different models for sustainable community development, Organizational methods for community development and maintenance, The varied needs of communities on different scales (from intentional community to metropolis), Different perspectives on sustainability (ecological, social, economic, etc), Alternative models for economic organization. And to address this year’s art theme “Metropolis”, we’ll focus on solutions to the challenges facing urban communities amidst the realities of modern industrial and social insanity.

“Thinking about the theme, Superman came to mind, since he protects Metropolis! I am attempting to break the world record for most people in one place dressed as Superman, the record is set at only 122 people, so I’m sure with enough people informed and prepared with superman costumes, we can break this record pretty easily!

Guinness guidelines for the world record…

‘The World Record attempt is open to men, women and children wearing a complete Superman costume consisting of a blue bodysuit, red cape, red trunks, red boots (or spats), yellow belt, and the famous red and yellow ‘S’ logo on the chest. The costumes can either be store-bought or home made.’

That is what’s needed for the record, but the record is less important than the attempt to me… So let’s have fun with it! And to make it more then just a photo opp, I plan on having a costume contest for most creative Superman costume, closest resemblance to Superman (from the movies), and best home made costume, and since there is so little happening for kids, we’ll have a prize for the youngest Burner dressed as Superman as well.

I am planning the gathering to be at noon on burn day, around the Man, yes, I know the Man is fenced off the day of the burn, but I don’t think people will have too hard of a time finding dozens of people in blue body suits and red capes!

This Rabbit has traveled the world, and we vouch for there being an Irish bar in every last city on the planet. It’s kinda mind boggling. Makes sense there should be one in Black Rock City. Dusty writes:

“We are happy to announce that the Paddy Mirage will be returning to the Playa to once again serve the masses at Burning Man Metropolis 2010. All throughout history humans have strove to achieve excellence. And in no place is that excellence greater exhibited but in their civilizations’ finest example of culture, society and creativity: The Metropolis!

The Paddy Mirage is an experiment in bar culture. No matter where you roam in the world there is an Irish bar to be found. From the Americas to the opposite side of the world, it is a place of welcome for all nationalities and is heralded as a socially cohesive and musically inspiring place to be. The Irish people are famous for Hospitality, Creativity, Song and Drink. We plan on having all four in full effect for this year’s Paddy Mirage experience but we need your help.

We will be serving as much Guinness and Irish whiskey as we can to all who visit our beloved oasis in the desert. In the past the pub’s offerings have expanded with unsolicited donations from the community. We hope that this is a tradition that will continue. In an effort to provide as much drink as possible this year we are requesting donations of alcohol in advance. We are based out of Tipperary, Ireland but our trucks will be driving from San Francisco. Paddy Mirage can haul your much appreciated donations to the playa or except them right at the pub. The Irish hospitality will be flowing so make sure you (are 21 years of age when you) stop by and bring a cup!

The Heart Machine is a 60′ in diameter interactive flame effects project that requires 4 – 20 participants to ignite various flame effects from four 14′ arteries that surround an 8′ heart. Making a 60 foot interactive art project with lots of fire for the playa is one thing… making it in Toronto Canada and shipping to the playa and back is another more expensive endeavor. So the Heart Machine is having an online raffle accessible to all in support fire arts in Canada. 100% of funds raised will go to the purchase of materials that will be used to create this majestic work of fire art and the cost of getting it to Burning Man 2010 as an official Burning Man 2010 Honorarium Installation. If you do not live in Toronto Canada we will ship you your prize.

Saturday, June 19th 8pm to 4am; Arrive early to catch the fire performances and avoid the line! At The Concourse Exhibition Center and parking lot next door 635 8th St (enter on 7th St at Brannan), San Francisco, CA 94103

Join us for this historic & spectacular night! Celebrate on the original summer solstice weekend it all began in 1986 with a fiery and festive Precompression event in the heart of San Francisco! Ramp up your Radical Self-Expression because tonight marks the launch of the 25th Burning Man season and we want YOU to pARTicipate!

So, dust off that playa spirit and dress to express! This night is the focal point of a full month of celebrations and events leading up to our 25th Burning Man event and the year beyond. You won’t want to miss it!

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THE SUMMER SEASON OF REGIONAL EVENTS IS HERE — WORLDWIDE!

‘Tis the season! Summer is here and so is the onslaught of Burning Man Regional Events going on around the world. A good Regional Event is a great way to gear up for the playa, and to get a good dose of Burning Man ethos. Wait, did we say “great”? No, screw that … it’s AWESOME. OK, so get out there! Meet some great folks! Participate! Have fun! Upcoming events include:

The good folks over at Black Rock Solar write to invite YOU to their upcoming fundraiser:

“Here at Black Rock Solar we’re gearing up for our second annual SolarStice fundraiser at Great Basin Brewing Co. in Sparks, Nevada from 4-8 pm on Saturday June 26th. We’re raising money for the Lyon County Fire Department to put a 30 kW solar array on their station in Fernley. Budget cuts and the economy have really taken their toll on the department, and this array will save firefighters more than $6,500 every year over the life of the system, which is at least 25 years!

We hope you can come out and support us at the fundraiser. Get ready for heaps of fun music by Mojo Green and:

Raffle and silent auction “Everything You Need For Burning Man” including: • Two tickets to Burning Man • 18 bags of ice from Arctica • Plane ride • Guided art tour • Catered dinner on the playa • Evening on an Art Car with Jerry Snyder • Bikes, bandannas, batteries, and bins • A ride up in a 100-foot tall crane with a panoramic view of Black Rock City • More than 50 prizes!

Fashion show by PolyEsther Dunaway!

Great Basin Brewing Co. is located at 846 Victorian Ave. Sparks, Nevada. (775) 355-7711 Questions? Give us a shout. We’ll see you there!”

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PANTHEON: A BENEFIT FOR THE TEMPLE FOR BURNING MAN 2010 – SF – JULY 9

Zeus, Apollo, and Aphrodite will be proud as we bring together this massive meeting of the gods of oontz, bump and woop woop, to benefit the construction of the Temple of Flux, the Temple for Burning Man 2010. Togas, leafy crowns, and ankle-strap sandals are highly encouraged, or let your own inner deity shine through …

Visit our own Lyceum and engage with published authors, bloggers and thinkers in and around the Burning Man community as they observe and comment on our culture and like-minded cultures around the world:http://blog.burningman.com